The main purpose of this study is to establish that etoricoxib 30 mg is safe and not inferior to celecoxib 200 mg in the treatment of the signs and symptoms of osteoarthritis in Korean patients. Given that the efficacy of etoricoxib vs. placebo in the treatment of osteoarthritis has been established, and that prescription drugs, such as celecoxib, are available for the treatment of pain associated with osteoarthritis in Korea, it would be inappropriate to subject patients with a flare of osteoarthritic pain to the placebo treatment for 12 weeks, and thus the study is designed as an active-comparator study.

The WOMAC osteoarthritis scale consists of 24 items in 3 subscales: pain, stiffness, and physical function. The pain subscale rates participant pain during walking, using stairs, in bed, sitting or lying, and standing using a visual analog scale (VAS) from 0-100mm where 0 is the best possible level of pain and 100 is the highest level of pain. The pain subscale is calculated as the average of the responses to the 5 questions related to pain. The calculation of the time-weighted average was done by taking the time between adjacent observations divided by the time from the randomization visit to the last observation in the period of interest, and using it as the weight for computation of the average.

The WOMAC osteoarthritis scale consists of 24 items in 3 subscales: pain, stiffness, and physical function. The physical function subscale rates participant pain during stair use, rising from sitting, standing, bending, walking, getting in/out of a car, shopping, putting on/taking off socks, rising from bed, lying in bed, getting in/out of the bath, sitting, getting on/off the toilet, heavy household duties, and light household duties using a visual analog scale (VAS) from 0-100mm where 0 is the best possible level of functioning and 100 is the highest level of functioning. The physical function subscale was calculated as the average of the responses to the 17 questions related to functional status. The calculation of the time-weighted average was done by taking the time between adjacent observations divided by the time from the randomization visit to the last observation in the period of interest, and using it as the weight for computation of the average.

The Participant Global Assessmet of Disease was a one item questionnaire that asked participants to answer the following question, "Considering all the ways your arthritis affects you, mark (X) on the scale for how well you are doing." The questionnaire employed a 0-100 mm visual analog scale (VAS) to record participant responses, with 0 representing the best possible assessment and 100 representing the worst possible assessment. The calculation of the time-weighted average was done by taking the time between adjacent observations divided by the time from the randomization visit to the last observation in the period of interest, and using it as the weight for computation of the average.

Participants were asked to rate their global assessment of response to therapy on a Likert scale from 0 to 4, with 0 = excellent, 1 = good, 2 = fair, 3 = poor, 4 = none. The calculation of the time-weighted average was done by taking the time between adjacent observations divided by the time from the randomization visit to the last observation in the period of interest, and using it as the weight for computation of the average.

Study investigators were asked to rate the global assessment of participant disease status on a Likert scale from 0 to 4, with 0 = very well, 1 = good, 2 = fair, 3 = poor and 4 = very poor. The calculation of the time-weighted average was done by taking the time between adjacent observations divided by the time from the randomization visit to the last observation in the period of interest, and using it as the weight for computation of the average.

The WOMAC osteoarthritis scale consists of 24 items in 3 subscales: pain, stiffness, and physical function. The stiffness subscale rates stiffness after first waking and later in the day using a visual analog scale (VAS) from 0-100mm where 0 is the best possible level of stiffness and 100 is the highest level of stiffness. The stiffness subscale is calculated as the average of the responses to the 2 questions related to stiffness. The calculation of the time-weighted average was done by taking the time between adjacent observations divided by the time from the randomization visit to the last observation in the period of interest, and using it as the weight for computation of the average.

Study investigators were asked to rate the global assessment of participant response to therapy on a Likert scale from 0 to 4, with 0 = excellent, 1 = good, 2 = fair, 3 = poor, 4 = none. The calculation of the time-weighted average was done by taking the time between adjacent observations divided by the time from the randomization visit to the last observation in the period of interest, and using it as the weight for computation of the average.

Clinical diagnosis of osteoarthritis of the knee for greater than 6 months based on clinical and radiographic criteria

Female patients of childbearing potential must have a negative pregnancy test prior to study enrollment and must agree to remain abstinent, and use barrier, intramuscular, or implanted contraceptives from Visit 1 until 28 days after the last dose of study medication.

Patient is of American Rheumatism Association (ARA) functional Class I, II, or III

Patient is willing to limit alcohol intake to 2 or less drinks per day during study and the follow-up period

Patient is willing to avoid unaccustomed physical activity for the duration of the study and follow-up period

With the exception of osteoarthritis, the patient is judged to be in good general health based on medical history, physical exam, and routine laboratory tests

Patient is able to read, understand and complete study questionnaires, including questions requiring a visual analog scale (VAS) response

Patient provides written informed consent for the trial

For prior non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) users only, the patient has a history of positive therapeutic benefit with NSAIDs and has taken an NSAID prior to study enrollment and at a therapeutic dose level prior to study enrollment (Visit 1)

For prior NSAID users only, prior to randomization, and following discontinuation of NSAIDs during the washout period specified patients must satisfy the following 3 flare criteria: Minimum of 40 mm on patient reported Pain Walking on a Flat Surface (WOMAC Section A, Question 1); Increase of 15 mm on patient reported Pain Walking on a Flat Surface (WOMAC Section A, Question 1) compared to prestudy baseline recorded at Visit 1; and A worsening in Investigator Global Assessment of Disease Status of at least 1 category on a 5 category scale compared to Visit 1 recording

For prior acetaminophen/paracetamol users only, patient has taken acetaminophen/paracetamol on a regular basis prior to study enrollment (Visit 1) and does not use NSAIDs for the treatment of osteoarthritis of the knee

For prior acetominophen/paracetamol users only, at both Visits 1 and 2, patients must satisfy all of the following 3 criteria: Minimum of 40 mm on patient reported Pain Walking on a Flat Surface (WOMAC Section A, Question 1); Investigator Global Assessment of Disease Status as fair, poor, or very poor; and Minimum of 40 mm on Patient Global Assessment of Disease Status (100 mm

VAS)

Exclusion Criteria:

Patient has a concurrent medical/arthritic disease that could confound or interfere with evaluation of efficacy

Patient is legally incompetent (e.g., a minor or mentally incapacitated), or has active psychosis, or significant emotional problems at the time of the study which in the view of the investigator are sufficient to interfere with the conduct of the study

Patient has a history of gastric or biliary surgery (including gastric bypass surgery), or small intestine surgery that causes clinical malabsorption

Patient is allergic to, or has a history of a significant clinical or laboratory adverse experience associated with etoricoxib or celecoxib or any of their constituents

Patient is allergic to acetaminophen/paracetamol, or has hypersensitivity (e.g., bronchoconstriction in association with nasal polyps) to aspirin or NSAIDs

Patient has an estimated glomerular filtration rate is less than or equal to 30 ml/min

Patient has new use (within 2 weeks of Visit 1 and during the entire duration of the study and follow-up period) of physical medicine modalities involving the study joint, including but not limited to: physical therapy, chiropractic interventions, acupuncture, Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulator (TENS), and ultrasound

Patient is expected to undergo surgery involving the study joint during the course of the study

Patients taking oral contraceptives

Patients using intra-articular steroids or hyaluronic acid injections to the study knee or other immunosuppressant medication within 3 months of Visit 1

Patients using intravenous, intramuscular, or oral corticosteroids, intra-articular steroids or hyaluronic acid injections to any joint other than the study joint within 1 month of Visit 1

Patients using topical or systemic analgesic medications within 3 days of Visit 1 and throughout the duration of the study

Patients with an active peptic ulcer or a history of inflammatory bowel disease

Patients with a personal or family history of an inherited or acquired bleeding

Patients that are pregnant or breast-feeding, or expecting to conceive within the projected duration of the study

Contacts and Locations

Choosing to participate in a study is an important personal decision. Talk with your doctor and family members or friends about deciding to join a study.
To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the Contacts provided below.
For general information, see Learn About Clinical Studies.